Giancarlo Stanton of the New York Yankees reacts after hitting a three run home run against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium (Source: Getty)
New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton visited the Paquito Montaner Stadium in his great-grandmother’s city of Ponce to connect with young baseball players on Friday.
After a disappointing end to the MLB postseason this year, Stanton took some time to connect with his Puerto Rican roots during a charity event. Here are some photos and videos of his interactions with the kids in Ponce, as posted on Instagram:
Giancarlo Stanton was born in Panorama City, California, to an African-American mother and a father of Irish descent. He grew up in California as a promising athlete and was selected by the Florida Marlins in the 2007 MLB Draft.
Stanton has established himself as one of the best sluggers in the majors, winning NL MVP in 2017 and other individual awards over the years. Known for his powerful hitting, the 6-foot-6 slugger had an impressive postseason with the Yankees, which eventually ended in disappointment, though.
Despite living in the US his entire life, Giancarlo Staton’s maternal great grandmother was Puerto Rican, from the city of Ponce.
Having visited the city in 2010, Stanton made his second visit there to participate in the “Dream HR Derby and Softball Game” on Friday. It’s a charity event hosted by the La Makina Foundation, which was started by Puerto Rican MLB pitcher Jose Barrios.
Giancarlo Stanton not concerned with Yankees’ future after Juan Soto departure
Having lost out to the New York Mets in their pusuit of Juan Soto last week, many expect the New York Yankees front office to be rattled. However, Giancarlo Stanton doesn’t seem too worried about losing the Dominican outfielder.
When asked for his thoughts on the team’s future during his visit to Puerto Rico, Stanton said that he’s not worried:
“I think we’re in a good spot. We’ll be fine next year with the changes we’ve made in the offseason.”
There’s no doubt that the Yankees will make some big moves ahead of Spring Training next year. Stanton’s response shows his confidence in the front office to do their job and put together a competitive roster for the new MLB season.